Introduction They say that in Chongqing, an 8D city where even navigation systems lose their way, autonomous vehicles would face an uphill battle. The city's multi-tiered overpasses confound path-planning algorithms, towering buildings and canyons disrupt GPS signals, and a succession of tunnels blinds vehicle sensors! Navigating Chongqing's traffic is akin to a grueling test for autonomous driving systems. Yet, nestled in XianTao Data Valley, Liangjiang New Area, the Chongqing Key Laboratory of Intelligent Connected Vehicles and Vehicle-Road Coordination, led by Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, is on a mission to tackle the toughest challenges—and has indeed cracked the 'mountain city code' for autonomous driving. Let's delve deeper with Wurenche Laiye (Public Account: Wurenche Laiye)! (For further reading, please click: 'Chongqing Issues the 'Administrative Rules for Expressway Testing of Intelligent Connected Vehicles (Trial)': Allowing L3+ Autonomous Vehicles on Highways—The 'Driving Test' for Autonomous Driving Has Finally Begun')

I. Why Has a City Where Even GPS Goes Haywire Become a Hotbed for Innovation?

'Traditional algorithms excel on flat terrains but falter in Chongqing,' remarked Li Yongfu, the lab’s director, highlighting a critical flaw in autonomous driving technology.

In the autonomous driving industry, 'long-tail scenarios'—rare yet pivotal situations—are a frequent topic of discussion.

For autonomous vehicles, Chongqing's road conditions transform these 'long-tail scenarios' into daily occurrences.

Signal 'Black Holes': With its skyscrapers and intricate interchanges, GPS signals often drop in Chongqing, leading to frequent positioning errors.

Visual 'Blindness': Consecutive tunnels and steep inclines instantly blind vehicles relying on optical sensors due to abrupt light changes.

Decision-Making 'Paralysis': Even navigation systems frequently get disoriented here. Asking an AI to swiftly decide which exit to take at Panlong Interchange is far more challenging than solving a complex mathematical puzzle.

Thus, while unmanned vehicles from companies like Baidu Apollo, Pony.ai, Jiushi, and Xiaozhu dominate the market, if their algorithms haven't been rigorously tested in Chongqing's 'rigorous testing ground,' they can't truly claim technical robustness.

The Chongqing lab aims to address these 'adaptation issues' before vehicles even hit the road.

II. From 'Solo Acts' to 'Team Synergy': A Leap in Efficiency

Even the most intelligent single-vehicle systems have their limits. For instance, if you're trailing a large truck that suddenly brakes, your sensors might be obstructed—a classic case of 'limited visibility.'

Zhou Qing from Jiushi Autonomous Vehicles mentioned in an interview that they train their systems on 130 million kilometers of real-world data to handle extreme scenarios like 'phantom pedestrians.'

But in a mountainous city like Chongqing, single-vehicle intelligence alone isn't sufficient—it demands a 'vehicle-road-cloud' synergy.

The core breakthrough of the Chongqing lab is achieving seamless coordination among 'vehicle-road-cloud-network-map.'

What does coordination entail? It transforms every vehicle into a warrior with a 'god-like view.'

1. Enhanced Visibility

The lab’s developed V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology enables information exchange up to 800 meters.

Before your vehicle reaches an intersection, roadside radar already transmits blind-spot pedestrian and vehicle data to you.

It's like granting your car 'X-ray vision.'

2. Precise Calculations

To combat signal blockage, the team developed a high-precision positioning technology that integrates satellite navigation, inertial measurement, and environmental perception, keeping vehicle positioning errors under 10 centimeters.

This means unmanned vehicles can precisely dock at loading/unloading points in narrow ports or parks with minimal errors.

3. Smooth Driving

One of the lab’s most notable achievements is solving fleet coordination control challenges.

On long descents or spiral ramps, a slight brake from the lead vehicle often triggers rear-end collisions due to delayed reactions.

Their algorithm links the fleet like an invisible tether, enabling rear vehicles to anticipate lead vehicles’ movements in advance. This reduces braking frequency by 60% and energy consumption by 6.5%.

Don't underestimate that 6.5%—for logistics giants like SF Express or ZTO with tens of thousands of vehicles, this translates to significant cost savings.

III. Technology 'Cross-Pollination': From Tea Picking to Beyond—This Innovation Is Groundbreaking

The lab's most unexpected application? Tea harvesting.

You heard that right. The lab has transplanted autonomous driving technologies—environmental perception, path planning, and robotic arm coordination—directly into tea plantations, creating an intelligent tea-picking robot for mountainous regions.

Precision: Matches the skill of experienced tea pickers, targeting only the tenderest buds.

Speed: Picks single leaves in approximately 2 seconds and operates around the clock.

This showcases the remarkable—and exciting—potential of technological synergy.

Once you master the underlying 'perception-decision-control' logic, it can be adapted like LEGO for various scenarios.

Today it picks tea; tomorrow it could harvest fruit; the next day, it might tighten bolts in factories.

While companies like Neolix, Jiushi, BaiRhi, and Xiaozhu focus on unmanned delivery, and Baidu Apollo, Pony.ai, and WeRide target domestic and overseas markets for robotaxis, the Chongqing lab demonstrates how foundational autonomous driving technologies can revolutionize traditional industries.

IV. Why Chongqing?

After all this, you might wonder: With so many places developing intelligent connected vehicles, why Chongqing?

The answer lies in Chongqing’s industrial heritage.

Chongqing is already an automotive powerhouse, home to companies like Changan and Seres, with a complete supply chain and abundant application scenarios!

On December 20, 2025, Changan Automobile received China’s first official L3 autonomous driving license plate, 'Yu AD0001Z.'

(For further reading, please click: 'Changan Automobile Secures L4 Autonomous Driving Test License: Just Three Months After Getting China’s First L3 Plate, They’ve 'Skipped a Grade')

Moreover, Chongqing’s challenging terrain serves as a 'proving ground' for technology. Tech that succeeds here can be deployed anywhere in China.

It's like acing the toughest exam questions—once you master them, easier ones are a breeze.

Equally crucial is talent.

Leveraging platforms like the MIIT’s 'Specialized and Innovative Industrial College for Intelligent Vehicles,' the lab has trained over 20 PhDs and 1,000 masters. Many graduates now work at leading companies like Changan, Seres, and Huawei, becoming industry pillars.

Behind the 130+ authorized invention patents, 400+ SCI/EI papers, and 10+ provincial-level tech awards lies a solid foundation of technological expertise.

Looking back, Chongqing's approach to intelligent connected vehicles has transformed its 'challenges' into 'strengths':

What others avoid as overly complex terrain becomes a natural testing ground for technology;

What others dismiss as troublesome mountain scenarios become the best catalyst for technological innovation.

In short, Wurenche Laiye (Public Account: Wurenche Laiye) believes:

In the future, when people think of Chongqing, it won't just be for hotpot and 8D magical landscapes—but also as:

'Oh, that place that mastered autonomous driving.'

What do you think?

References: Reports from Science and Technology Daily, Chongqing Daily, Chongqing Broadcasting Group’s First Eye, and Qianxin’s Travel Agency.

#WurencheLaiye #AutonomousDriving #SelfDrivingCars #UnmannedVehicles